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DUP Power-Sharing Offer
by beano 
on 19 Sep 2005 at 03:11. Categories: News, Northern Ireland, Orange Order / Other Marches, Ulster-Scots, IRA, Direct Rule Senior security sources in Northern Ireland are said to believe that IRA decommissioning is close. Jeffrey Donaldson, DUP MP for Lagan Valley, who was briefed on the situation by Tony Blair said "We believe that we will see the announcement on decommissioning in the next couple of weeks."
In response, the DUP have put forward proposals for the potential negotiation of the return of a power-sharing executive that could follow such a move. Hopefully dangling the carrot of power-sharing in front of Peter Hain and Tony Blair might help them achieve some of these goals, particularly the investment in deprived areas.
Follow up:
The DUP want:
- A severance package for the battalions of the RIR that are being phased out, and an agreement to station at least two battalions in the province.
- Replacement of the Parades Commission with a new body, which would start with the presumption of a right to march.
- A programme of investment in deprived loyalist areas.
- More unionists to be appointed to public bodies like the Equality Commission and the Human Rights Commission
- Funding for unionist and Ulster-Scots festivals and activities to match the funding for festivals in nationalist areas, like west Belfast’s Feile an Phobail.
I think most of this sounds completely reasonable. I'm not sure I agree on the need for the 2 battalions to be stationed here (I'm not sure how that would affect 'normal' troop levels. It does seem like a good place to start negotiations though and while I'm no fan of the DUP, I have to applaud them for stepping up the mark and setting out their stall so quickly.
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4 comments
I wonder that the response will be on Love Ulster. [It certainly kicked off on there last night! I wonder what the overall impression will be for non-unionists, Unionists being prepared to challenge the inconsistency within their ranks or will the only thing they remember be the sectarianism expressed.
Do your regulars know about your IRA sympathies
] The days of "A protestant state for a protestant people" and "no employement for disloyal catholics" are over.
While Sinn Féin have a mandate, the rest of us, North and South have to deal with them. Having to take responsibility in government will tame them, as it has radical parties elsewhere.
It might even improve the DUP.
You would see a lot more of it if you looked at their policies and ideas above the trench of S.F. condemnationist propaganda.
S.F. need an enemy for their triumphlasist lust for conquest, the image of the D.U.P. as commonly seen was characterised more by this than the actions of that Party.
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